The present application relates generally to the field of firefighting vehicles which are configured to pump or otherwise deliver a firefighting agent or suppressant (e.g., water, foam, etc.) to an area of interest. More specifically, the present application relates to the configuration of a pump system (e.g., a fire pump system, etc.) for a firefighting vehicle.
Firefighting vehicles come in a variety of different forms. For example, certain firefighting vehicles, known as pumpers, are designed to deliver large amounts of firefighting agents, such as water, foam, or any other suitable fire suppressant to an area of interest. One or more of the firefighting agents may be retrieved from a tank carried by the firefighting vehicle and/or may be retrieved from a source external the firefighting vehicle (e.g., hydrant, pond, etc.). Other firefighting vehicles, known as tankers, are designed to hold and/or transport relatively large quantities of firefighting agents. Still other firefighting vehicles, known as aerials, are designed to additionally elevate ladders or booms. Further still, some firefighting vehicles, known as specialized firefighting vehicles, are designed for responding to unique firefighting circumstances and may be designed for delivering firefighting agents to difficult to reach locations (e.g., airport rescue, etc.).
Regardless of form, a number of firefighting vehicles include a pump system supported by the vehicle chassis for pressurizing the firefighting agent retrieved from a tank or an external source. Typically, pump systems are supported by the vehicle chassis at either a middle portion of the firefighting vehicle (i.e., a midship mounted pump), a rear portion of the firefighting vehicle (i.e., a rear mounted pump), or a front portion of the firefighting vehicle in front of the radiator (i.e., a front mounted pump). Midship and rear pumps systems are generally contained within a body of the vehicle (e.g., a portion of the vehicle rearward of the cab, etc.).
The designs of existing pump systems (which often include large pumphouses) occupy a significant amount of space along the vehicle chassis thereby taking away space along the chassis that could otherwise be used for supporting additional equipment, firefighting agents, firefighters, etc. While some firefighting vehicles utilizing a midship pump or a rear mounted pump have extended lengths and/or heights to allow for increased space to support, equipment, firefighting agents, firefighters, etc., such designs may make high speed maneuvering through traffic and narrow thoroughfares difficult.
Besides occupying a substantial amount of space along the vehicle chassis, the location of the pump systems within existing firefighting vehicles (often being supported substantially above the chassis) cause the such vehicles to have a higher center of gravity or increased heights. Again having a higher center of gravity may make high speed maneuvering through traffic and narrow thoroughfares difficult, while increased heights require higher hose storage areas (since hoses are often stored above a pumphouse and/or above a water tank).
Further still, the design of many existing pump systems does not allow for convenient maintenance of components of the pump system. For example, many existing pump systems require the pump control panel to be removed in order to service and/or replace an impeller shaft of the pump. Removing the pump control panel may take longer than the actually servicing the impeller shaft of the pump system.